Cooking apparatus



Sept. 20, 1932. A. E. TRIPLETT COOKING APPARATUS 5 She ets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 3, 1929 v9.43. Triple w attozwm p Sapt. 20, 1932.

A. E. TRIPLETT COOKING APPARATUS 5 Shets-Sheet Filed April 3, 19.29

awuzwto a Tr g aze Sept. 20, 1932. A. E. TRIPLETT v 8,

COOKING APPARATUS Filed A rils, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 5 atto'cnm oPatented Sept. 29, 1932 mate COOKING APPARATUS Application'fileii April3, 1929. Serial No. 352,257.

The present invention is directed to improvements in cooking apparatus,the method ofcooking forming the subject matter'of a divisionalapplication filed September 12,

1929, Serial No. 392,130. The'apparatus of the present invention has forits primary obj ect to provide an apparatus of this character soconstructed that food can bethoroughly cooked over a long period of timeat either m a high or low temperature, without the loss of any of thenatural juices, the construction being such that a predetermined supplyof filtered air at a predetermined flow, pressure and temperature isused to permit the releasem and carrying 011' of noxious gases and oiland,

further, to permit carrying ofi of these objectionable elements bythorough ventilation to improve the flavor and conserve the foodelements. Another object of the invention is to provide a cookingapparatus so constructed that the food can be cooked at a lowtemperature, thereby preventing the destruction of valuable vitamins.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this typewherein cured hams and meats of various kinds can be cooked underthorough'ventilation and pressure and the noxious volatile bodies genleased and absorbed to prevent the food having a strong flavor. It iswell known that foods throw ofi carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide andother volatile, sulphur compounds, and it is another object of theinvention to release these compounds and eliminate the same bythoroughventilation and absorption, means being provided for the use]erated during the cooking process are revide the necessary oxygen fortheir release.

brought to a searing temperatureat atmospheric pressure until the meatsare seared and the surface juices coagulated and at which timethetemperature can be dropped and predetermined air pressure'admittedand the, boiling arrested so that the cooking process can be completedunder thoroughventilation'and pressure with little loss-ofvaluablejuices, mineral saltsand vitamins. Another object is to provide anapparatus of this nature wherein beef may be barbecued by bringing it toa searing temperature at atmospheric pressure and seasoning with smokefrom hickory wood or from other suitable wood under thorough ventilationand pressure by use of flowing preheated air.

Another object is to, provide an apparatus so constructed that it may beused as an openair, fireless, or pressure cooker, theconstructionbeingsuch that various modes may be employed for-the propercooking of food, and while the device is primarily designedi or cookinghams and other meats it isnot necessarily limited to such use since,other foods can be cooked therein with equal success. V. i I

' With these and other objects in view, the

, invention resides in the novel features of construction, formation,combination and arrangementof parts to be hereinafter more fullydescribed, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is=a top plan view. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view.Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 33 of Figure 2. Figure 4: is asectional view on theline 4-4: of Figure 2. I c

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing the application of the plug.V I Figure 6' is a sectional view onthe line 6-'-6 i of Figure 2. e

Referring to the drawings, A designates a casing which consists'of abase section 1, top section 2, and an intermediate section 3, allofwhich are of sheet steel, double wall construction in order thatmineral ,wool or other suitable insulating material 4 may be'used. Byforming the casing in sections the same can be conveniently'assembledordisassem- 10o 9 which rests upon a platelO and in which are formedperforations 11 in order that air from the nozzle 12 will passtherethrough to promote proper combustion. The'nozzle' is.

supported in a plate 13 spaced from the plate 10. Air entering the space13 below the plate 10 will be uniformly distributed through theperforations 11.

Mounted in the casing A is a vessel 14 which constitutes the oven properof the ap paratus. An annular skirt 15 depends from the bottom of thevessel and rests upon the base 5, said skirt having perforations 15formed therein to permit the heat generated by the burner to reach thebottom of the vessel and this skirt may form an integral part of thevessel or may be formed separate therefrom, as desired.

The vessel is provided with a removable cover16 which is held in aclosed position by clamping members 17 of conventional form. The coverhas an eyebolt 18 fixed thereto to which are-secured one of theterminals of the chain sections 19, the other terminals thereof beingsecured to the shanks 20 carried by the topsection 2. Cable sections 21are secured to the shanks 20 at one of their ends and at their otherends to a ring 22 to which ring is secured a cable 22 which is securedto a counterbalance (not shown) in order that the top section 2 may beconveniently lifted when it is desired to remove thecover 16. 1 Thechain sections 19 are of such length that the cover 16 will be suspendedbelow the top section 2 when it is elevated in order that the cover canbe removed or replaced when the top section is elevated.

Leading from the vessel 14 is a pipe assembly 23 having associatedtherewith a temperature gauge 24, pop or flow valve 25, and pressuregauge 26. The valve 25 will automatically, regulate thefiow and pressureof the heated air and gases from the vessel. A manually controlled valve26 is connected in the assembly 23 and operates in connection with thevalve 25 to regulate the degree of ventilation. The pipe assembly'ope'nsinto the upper end of the vessel, as more clearly shown in Figure 2 ofthe drawings.

A valve 27 opens into the bottom of the vessel 14, hot water beingfurnished thereto through a pipe 28 which leads from a hot water storagetank 29, said pipe being provided with a regulating valve 30 and a drainpipe 31 equipped'with a valve 32. Encir cling the vessel is a pipe coil33, to preheat the air before entering the vessel the upper most helixthereof terminating in a vertical branch 34 which, in turn, terminatesin a horizontal branch 35,'the. terminalof which 7 opens into thevesselat its bottom and is provided with a check valve 36.

The lowermost helixof the pipe coil terminates in a pipe 37 whichextends through the base section 1 and; leads to a compressed airstorage tank'38, there being a bypass pipe 39 connected to thepipe 37and having a valve 40 associated therewith. The pipe 37- is providedwith a valve 41 which is located between the branches of the bypass p1pe..

' An air compressor 42 of suitable'deslgn is employed and hasleadingtherefrom 'a' pipe 43 which communicates w than an file vacuumbypass pipe 49 having a valve 50' therein. Hickory wood or othersuitable wood is burned in thispot and the smoke thereof can becontrolled at will. This smoke.

is conducted to the filter 44 and from thence,

with the compressed air, into the vessel 14.-

The vessel 14 has mounted therein a plurality of superposed foodcontaining pans 51 which may be rackedasshown so that they may besubjected to the action of the oven. The vessels are provided withmembers 51 in order that they will be maintained in spaced relation. v

The top section 2 is provided with a cen trally located thimble 52 whichopens into the casing and removably connected with said thimble is acowl 53 in which ismounted a damper plate 54, said cowl having openings55 thereinto permit the escape of heat from the casing when desired.

Since the cowl is removable, a plug 56 can be placed in the thimble, asshown in Figure 5 of the drawings, in order. to retain the heat in thecasingwhen the gas flame is eX- tlnguished.

A plurality of vertically spaced split bands 57 are clamped around thevessel 14above the coil 33 and have carried thereby baiile flanges 58 inwhich are formed perforations 59. These baii'le flan'ges are of suchsize that the outer ends thereof will bear against the interior wall ofthe section 3 and will obviously retard the passage of heat in theannular space 60 defined between the casing and vessel. Removabl'ymounted upon the uppermost pan 51 is a pad 61 formed of ab sorbentmaterial, preferably consisting of burnt fire clay and cement, and isemployed for absorbing injurious volatile oils thrown off during thecookingprocess. The vessel 14 is provided with a temperature gage 62 atits upper end whichcoincides with a lens 63 carried by the frame 64removably mounted in the section 2. A similar frame 65 is removablymounted in the base section 1 and carries a lens 66 in order that thecondition of the burner flame can be observed. Obviously, upon removingboth the frames 64.

' and 65, the apparatus can be more quickly cooled after the flame isextinguished when the cooking operation is finished. A thermostat ofstandard design may be used for regulating the flow of gas to theburner.

Obviously, the apparatuscan be used for boiling food upon admitting hotwater to thevessel through the pipe 28 and subjecting the water to theheat of the burner 9, and air can be admitted through the valve 36. Whenit is desired to cook cured meats, such as hams, the same are placed inthe pans 51 and may be saturated with or contained in proper seasoningfluid. The air flowing into the coil 35 will be heated and then flowsinto the vessel 14 in measured quantities at a predetermined pressure,thence out through the valve 25, taking with it all the impuritiesreleased by the heat and oxygen, and when desired, smoke is mixed withthe air as it flows into the filter through the pipe 49. The mixture ofsmoke and air can beconveniently controlled by the valves 40 and 4:1 and25. V

'WVhen it is desired to use the apparatus as a pressure cooker theproper amount of water is admitted to the vessel 14 and the temperaturebrought to the proper point, where upon the flame is automaticallyextinguished by a thermostat and the cowl 53 removed and the plug 56placed inthe thimble 52, thus retaining the heat of the apparatus, andsince the blocks 7 are thoroughly heated, the cooking process can becontinued.

When it is desired to cool the apparatus quickly, the frames 64: and 65and the plug 56 are removed in order that a draft will-be createdthrough the apparatus.

The pop valve 25 will obviously operate when the pressure reaches apredetermined degree.

It will, of course, be understood that the casing 1 has its wall formedfrom suitable sheet metal in order that the insulating ma terial can beconveniently packed therein.

The valve 27 has an actuating rod 27 connect-ed therewith and uponclosing this valve hot water can be used for flushing juicesfrom thepipe 28. When this is done the valve 32 is opened to permit discharge ofthe flush water through the pipe 31. Obviously, the

valve '50 in the'vacuum by-pass 49 can be opened to draw air from thevessel so that juices can be boiled out of the meat quickly. The valvesare then closed so that the juices are cooked under flowing filtered airand pressure at a predetermined heat. In this manner beef extract can beprocessed.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction; operation andmany advantages of thejherein described invention will be; apparenttothose skilled: in the art, without furtherdescription, and-it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, procoverforthecvessel', means for heating; the

the top vessel," and single means for raising section and vessel cover.

An apparatus of the classdescribed comprising a "casing includingatop'section, a

vessel'mounted in the casing,-

burner ,for heating the vessel, a thimble carried by the top section, acowl connected with the think ble and having a damper therein forcontrolling discharge of productsof combustion from the casing, saidcowl being removable to permit the insertion of a closing plug in thethimble.

3. An apparatus of the class described including a closed foodcontaining vessel, a casing confining the vessel, a burner for heatingthe vessel, a thimble carried by the top of the casing, a cowl connectedwith the thimble and having a damper therein for controlling dischargeof products of combustion from the casing, said cowl being removable topermit the insertion ofa closing plug in the thimble. V r i .4. Anapparatus of the class described'comprising a casing, a burner therein,a closed air tight cooking vessel in said casing adapted to be heated bysaid burner, trays racked one above the other in said vessel, acompressed air supply pipe encircling the vessel and adapted to beheated by said burner, said pipe discharging upwardly through the bottomof said vessel, a check valve in said pipe,

the spiritor sacrificing any of the advantages a valve controlled pipefor admitting air under pressure to said supply pipe, an outlet pipecommunicating with said vessel near the top thereof, and a flow valve insaid outlet pipe normally open to permit the continuous escape of airand noxious gases from the ves- I 'burner in said casing below saidvessel, baffles between said casing and said vessel for deflecting theheat against the exterior of.

said vessel whereby the cooking is accomplished by heat radiated fromthe walls of said vessel, a compressed air supply pipe encircling saidvessel and adapted to be heated by said burner, said pipe discharginginto.

said vessel, a valve controlled inlet pipe for supplying air underpressure to saidsupply pipe, an outlet pipe connected with said cook+ing' vessel, a flow valve in said outlet pipe permitting the escape ofair and noxious gases continuously during the cooking period from saidvessel, and a poo valve. for releasingexcess pressure from said vessel.

6. In a baking apparatus, a combustion chamber, a heating chamberoverlying and insulated from the combustion chamber, an oven over theheating chamber, an air pipe in the heating chamber underlying the ovenand having a discharge leading into the oven, means to supply air underpressure to the pipe, and means to supply heat to the combustionchamber. V

1 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. ARMSTEAD E. TRIPLETT. [LS-1

